Image: U.S. Air Force aerial spray

Deepwater Horizon

April - May 2010 - At approximately 10 p.m. on April 20, 2010, an explosion rocked Transocean's Deepwater Horizon drilling rig resulting in the loss of 11 crew members and the sinking of the rig on April 22. The Macondo well, which the rig had recently completed drilling, was open and flowing an estimated 5,000 bopd into the surrounding waters. BP and the USCG coordinated on efforts to stop the oil flows and contain the resulting spill.